1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of sanding apparatus and more particularly, to the field of sanding wheels for raised panels which have arched peripheral portions.
2. Discussion of the Background
Raised wooden panels with arched or curved perimeter portions present unique problems for sanding. Such panels are widely used in cabinets and particularly in kitchen cabinets and are becoming increasingly more popular. Unlike a raised panel with a simple square or rectangular periphery or perimeter, arched panels as the name implies typically have a crown or arch shape in one or more of the panel sides. Commonly, the arch is in the top side of the panel with the other sides simply being straight or linear.
The straight sides of such a raised panel can easily be sanded by simply pressing the side against a linear guide and passing it by a rotating sanding wheel. The arched side, however, cannot be so easily guided and more often than not, the raised surface on the arched side is sanded without any guides. The accuracy of such sanding is then dependent almost entirely on the manual skill and precision of the operator. In high volume, mass production operations, cost and conformity of the sanded panels are critical and in them, the sanding of the arched portion of the raised panel has always presented speed and accuracy problems.
With this in mind, the present invention was developed. With it, a simple sanding wheel has been modified to include a guide surface wherein the arched portion of a raised wooden panel can be accurately and quickly sanded in a controlled and cost effective manner.